Weight Watchers really does work, scientists claim

Britain's obesity problem could be dealt with by offering Weight Watchers
courses on the NHS, the Medical Research Council (MRC) has claimed.

At Weight Watchers, people attend weekly classes and are advised how to measure their consumption of food, using a points-based system to ensure they do not exceed recommended limits for certain types of foodPhoto: REX FEATURES

Weight Watcherscourses would be an inexpensive and effective way to reduce the burden on the NHS caused by obesity, according to two new studies.

The weight loss programme, which focuses on changing people's behaviour rather than simply their diet, produced better results than normal care and advice provided by GPs in the trials.

Dr Susan Jebb, head of nutrition and health research at MRC, who led the study, warned in a 2007 report that half of Britain's population would be obese by 2050, costing a £46 billion annual bill.

At Weight Watchers, people attend weekly classes and are advised how to measure their consumption of food, using a points-based system to ensure they do not exceed recommended limits for certain types of food.

Two thirds of NHS Primary Care Trusts offer 12-week Weight Watchers courses for certain patients, costing £45 each, but the programme is not available to everyone.

The new research – paid for by Weight Watchers but carried out by the MRC – included an assessment of the weight loss of 30,000 people sent on a 12-session course by their doctor and a trial comparing the weight loss of patients who went to Weight Watchers with those who did not, over a long period of time.

Those who were referred to Weight Watchers by their GP lost an average of 2.8kg, with 12 per cent reducing their weight by more than a tenth.

The trial, in which about 800 people were randomly sent either to Weight Watchers or their local health care provider, showed that after a year Weight Watchers patients had lost an average of 7kg, compared with 3.9kg for those who went to their doctor.

Weight Watchers were also more likely to persist with their programme, The Guardian reported.

Dr Jebb described the data as "incredibly encouraging". She said: "It tells us this is an effective way of getting people to lose weight."

Zoe Hellman, dietitian at Weight Watchers, said: "One of the key things is having support and motivation. One of the things people bring up is the Little Britain sketch where they weigh people publicly. It couldn't be further from the truth."